


Pieces of life

by Aijja



Series: Tumblr prompt series [2]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Not Beta Read, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-22
Updated: 2016-12-02
Packaged: 2018-08-23 23:03:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8346271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aijja/pseuds/Aijja
Summary: Tumblr prompt fills. 
Mostly fluff and no smut. Contains drinking and discussion/implied death/sex.





	1. Dancing

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr prompts. (feel free to drop in and give me more ideas: Aijja )
> 
> I head canon that Kaidan is actually excellent dancer due to his mother who was a pro/smth close to it. All this due to the one GIF I lost that has him doing leaps and stuff.

“You really don’t understand just how bad Shepard dances. I still cringe when I remember the time we were partying on Omega,” Joker snorts and looks at Kaidan with what can only be perceived as a challenge in his eyes. Garrus is clearly hiding his laughter, trying to pretend that he’s not listening intently on this conversation. The twitching mandibles are a tell though, if you know Garrus. Kaidan hides his smile behind the edge of his glass and just raises an eyebrow in return.

 

“I mean, he’s terrible. No control at all in his body just flailing limbs and weird head pops that totally miss the beat of the music,” he continues waving his arms around to emphasize his point. The others nod to emphasize Joker's point and Kaidan keeps his mirth (and his drink) down only with sheer force of will. It has been a long time when he, or any of them, last let down their guards and were this carefree. It shows in the way the glasses are emptied and how the talking takes turns between absurd and and hilarious, at time bordering on juvenile. It's refreshing. 

 

“I have to agree with that. I have witnessed Shepard's dancing causing a waiter to drop their tray and the drinks on it caused a chemical reaction which turned into the bar being quarantined for the next twelve hours,” Garrus joins in, turning away from the quiet conversation he was having with Tali. Or the monologue Tali was having. Kaidan just shakes his head and puts down his glass, not being able to hide behind it anymore.

 

“I’m certain that Garrus is just bullshitting because of your eternal pissing contest but surely he can’t be that bad?” he asks, glancing over to the other end of the bar where Shepard was chatting with Liara, their heads close to each other, talking in a rapid pace, hands flying as they emphasize each of their points. To anyone else they would have seemed like a couple having a private conversation and the idea momentarily causes Kaidan’s insides to squeeze uncomfortably. Jokers snort giggle eased the feeling by creating a lovely distraction of sprayed beer over his face. Besides he has nothing to worry, he knows this intellectually but the whiskey sometimes brings up fears that he thought long buried.

 

“Trust us. You don’t want to be on the dance floor at the same time. It should be categorized as a level three threat.” Joker finished his drink, putting the glass down with force as if to press his point. 

 

“But you should still ask him to dance with you,” Tali quips up from her place next to Garrus. When Kaidan coughs and blushes at the suggestion she shrugs. And while the mask distorts her voice it still sounds incredibly smug when she continues: “What? That’s why you brought the subject up isn’t it?” Garrus looks proud as they laugh at him and Kaidan wants better friends.

 

“You all suck,” he says and picks up his whiskey staring at the glass, not smiling. 

 

“Don’t be like that. You just want him to dance close to you and look at you all sultry while doing his best to punch you in the face with his fists.” Garrus rumbles. Joker laughs so hard that he gets hiccups and Tali hides her hear under Garrus' arm, shoulders shaking.

 

“Grind his loins against you before tripping up you both by kicking with his massive combat boots,” EDI joins in and everyone stops to stare at her. “I have started reading old Earth romance novels. I find them useful sources of information.” There’s a silence for a moment. “It was a joke," she sounds resigned to the fact that when under the influence none of her human companions can differentiate her joking from facts. 

 

“Right… Anyhow.. Let’s forget that the unshackled AI that could bring the world to its knees likes shitty romantic literature and focus on the matter on hand. That is the hilarious fact that Alenko here wants to dance with the disaster that’s John Shepard," Joker caresses Edi's hand in the same way Kaidan's father had done when his mother had felt miffed by something small. It's a sobering thought, luckily he still has a inch or so left in his glass. He doesn't get the chance to down it because:

 

“You want to dance with me?” Shephard's voice sounds perplexed but pleased. Kaidan whips around in his chair and stares upwards at his Commander while their friends snicker at both of them. Not knowing what to answer to that he just makes little aborted shrug with his shoulder.

 

“I have to warn you that I’m not that good at it. Or so I’ve heard. I think I’m fantastic.” And there comes the charming smile that has made knees weak and send shivers down spines. That still makes his heart flutter faster.

 

“I think you’re too full of yourself. I’ll have to assess your talents, or lack of them, by myself,” Kaidan gets his cool back and with accompanying smirk finishes his drink and puts it on the table, ignoring the snickering and cheers of the others. Shepard grabs his arm by the elbow, dragging him to the dance floor that’s only half full, with a lot of room to choose their spot. Liara drops down in the seat that Kaidan vacated.

 

“Stop teasing them so much. I think it’s sweet that they finally found each other after all that pining,” she admonishes but there’s a gentle smile on her face.

 

“I think they deserve it for all the pain and annoyance I’ve been through. I lost count on how many times I had to listen to Shepard moaning about his feelings,” Garrus complains.

 

“I don’t know whether to watch this shipwreck and drink or hide somewhere pretending I don’t know them.” Despite his words Joker hasn’t taken his eyes of the pair once they left the table.

 

“Shut up. I want to watch this,” Tali shushes them.

 

On the dance floor the rhythm is quick and the floor pulses with the base. Shepard releases Kaidan’s arm, stepping close to look at him, their faces inches apart.

 

“I think after this, we can go somewhere and practice some slow dancing?”

 

“You’re ridiculous,” Kaidan starts laughing and doesn't stop until he's wheezing from lack of air (There's been a lot of drinks tonight). When he has composed himself, Shepard is dancing. Or what might be called dancing as the enthusiastic head pops aren’t in time with the beat (or with anything really) and his arms are doing movement that looks more like shaking maracas than anything else, his feet glued to the ground, no movement below his waist. Kaidan feels the laughter bubbling again along with the warmth that he has always associated with Shepard. With John. And so, abandoning everything he knows about dancing and just… Throws himself at the task at hand. It involves embarrassing shuffling and awkward finger pointing. Kaidan can feel the crowd giving them dirty looks but he’s feeling happier than in a long while and Shepard is wearing a grin while doing clumsy pirouettes. Their crews cheers them on and occasionally someone joins in. Only ever on for a short while as they leave complaining about bruising and embarrassment, but always with laughter in their undertones, with hugs and claps to backs. 

 

The night ends for them when they get kicked out from the dance floor for ‘dragging down the quality of the place’. Laughing and clinging to each other they return to Normandy. The night ends in their cabin sweaty bruised and just plain happy.


	2. Flirting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silly flirting pieces

“You know what else is big?” Shepard asks and ducks behind the next row of boxes. Kaidan throws shield to protect him and groans as he rolls under cover as well. 

 

“If you mean your dick I’m gonna throw you at Cerberus,” Kaidan threatens and Shepard laughs at him. The bastard.

 

“My new firestorm shotgun of course! You weirdo,” he laughs and gathers his biotics before charging headlong into the few remaining enemies. Kaidan mutters curses under his breath and grabs one of the remaining soldiers that tried to sneak behind Shepard and throws him at Shepard. 

 

“Heads up!” Kaidan yells, because he kinda hates Shepard right now but he doesn’t actually want to jeopardise his commanders life. The smug bastard turns in time and shoots the guy from the air, making their body jerk backwards. 

 

“Stop flirting and finish them. I’m done with the communications tower,” Garrus growls and Kaidan is sure to never live this down.

 

\--------------------

 

“Your lips look lonely… would they like to meet mine?” Shepard grins but it twitches as he shivers from the cold and wet.

 

“You’re an idiot,” Kaidan mutters and wraps his commander in more blankets. 

 

“Aww. Please? I want to hiber-mate with you,” Shepard whines and sniffles.

 

“Shut up and sleep. We need you in full strength as soon as possible. And your pick up lines just get worse. so just sleep,” Kaidan sighs and leans closer to tuck Shepard in. He pauses to look at the face just visible under the pile of blankets. It’s a mistake. The blue eyes look at him pleadingly and that something twists inside his stomach.

 

“I’ll stay but just stop with the pick up lines. It’s embarrassing.” As soon as he has said it he know it has been a mistake because there’s the gleam in John’s eyes. Kaidan is familiar with it (it’s also one of the reasons he first fell for John all those years ago) and it means trouble. 

 

“Sure. But then I'm gonna call you winter.” John grins and emerges from the blankets, tucking Kaidan in. His face must be a question enough because John doesn’t wait for him to ask the obvious.

 

“‘Cause pretty soon you’ll be coming.” 

 

“Are you quoting ancient fantasy shows at me?” Kaidan asks and laughs as he’s smothered with kisses.

 

“You love it,” is muttered against his neck and, yeah, he does.  
\-----------------------------

 

“I’d do you like my paperwork…” John mutters as he slumps next to Kaidan in the empty observatory lounge, throwing datapads on the low table.

 

“Ignore me most of the time and then rush to the finish line?” Kaidan replies dryly, not lifting his gaze from his own reading. John stops and smiles at him. Kaidan hides his own smile behind the ‘pad.

 

“No. I’d slam you on the table and do you all night.” He moves to stand in front of Kaidan, hips thrust forward. Kaidan raises an eyebrow and looks up at his lover unimpressed.

 

“Then why don’t you?” he asks and the grin that spreads on Johns face is beautiful to look at.

 

“Well… I happen to live upstairs and I have a nice floor. And your clothes would look fabulous covering it.”

 

Kaidan laughs the whole way to the elevator.

 

\--

 

“Are you a demon ‘cause I’d follow you all the way to hell,” John whispers into his ear and Kaidan feels like crying and not because of the searing pain in his thigh.

 

“John.. Don’t leave me behind,” Kaidan whispers and clings to the broad shoulders. There’s a battle still going on. Probably the last one either of them will ever be part of. No matter if they win or not.

 

“Kaidan. No matter what happens. I’ll always love you,” John whispers and pushes him away, gently. Kaidan stumbles but Garrus catches him, keeps him from crumbling to the ground.

 

“I love you too. Be careful.” Kaidan reaches for John but Shepard steps away.

 

“Hey, Kaidan... Do you wanna be a marine or do you wanna marine come into you?” Shepard calls out to him with a smile but the smile is sad and not the way it used to be.

 

“That doesn’t even make sense,” Kaidan whispers as Shepard turns his back and runs towards the beam, Normandys hatch closing and disrupting his line of sight. He loses sight of Shepard and then Garrus drags him into the infirmary.

 

\----------------------------------

 

John wakes up to bright white and pain. The peeping grounds him as he closes his eyes again and waits a bit. The second attempt is more successful and he can see the room he’s in. It’s clearly a hospital but there’s no window and the walls are off white colour but the peeping and bright lights as well as the machines around him are sure give away for a hospital room. As well as Kaidan who holds his hand and smiles a watery smile. John tries to speak but can’t. Kaidan shushes him and puts a finger on his lips.  
“Your bed looks nice, do you mind if i invite myself to it?” Kaidan asks in a soft murmur. John smiles and nods, his eyes closing again because keeping them open is way too much work. He feels a warm, compact shape mold itself to his side and then Kaidan is sharing his pillow and breathing lightly so that the puffs of air tickle at his hair. And John is happy.


End file.
